Rushing D slow road to success

Forget the personalities, the big decider in tonight's national championship final could be something born in the far west of Ireland 11 years ago.

When Warren Gatland returned to his old patch in Waikato last year he brought with him a defensive pattern he first developed in his fledgling coaching days at Connacht.

The Waikato players struggled with the rush defence last year, lost five games in succession and the grumblers grumbled. What's he doing bringing Pommy methods back here was the gist of the complaints.

Gatland and his players have responded in the best fashion. By essentially moving up rapidly in a defensive screen the aim is to cut down the options for the attackers - primarily the first and second five-eighths.

Done well, allied to crunching tackling, and it can stifle the opposition and throw them into panic.

How Wellington cope with it will be critical to the outcome tonight. In their Top Six playoff game, they came to Hamilton and were thumped 37-21.

This is different. Nerves will be tightly strung, the stakes are far higher and Wellington will have done plenty of homework.

So how come it's worked so much better this season than last?

"It's been another year of the guys training it, and understanding it," veteran lock Jono Gibbes said.

"It requires complete trust. If we had seven backs and six were into it but one guy didn't trust it, the whole thing falls to pieces."

Another senior player, second five-eighths David Hill, who plays his final game for Waikato tonight, says it's all about snuffing out an opposing threat before it has time to develop.

"It's about a fair bit of repetition and in training a fair bit of being embarrassed," Hill said. "It is high risk, and high reward. You're going to get line breaks and going to look silly now and again."

As for Gatland, he still harbours resentment at the knockers last year. He hasn't forgotten the criticism, and who it came from.

He started the system with a Connacht team high on effort and enthusiasm, low on quality.

"We got a bit of success out of getting up in people's faces. We won a few games and I carried on using it with Ireland, and Wasps too.

"We've developed it a lot in terms of what we know works and what catches it out."

Which is precisely what Wellington will be trying to do tonight.

Gatland knows it's far from infallible. No defensive system is impregnable.

Gibbes pointed out Wellington's former All Black skipper and second five-eighth Tana Umaga has been round the game long enough that, as a smart, powerful runner, "it doesn't matter what type of D [defence] you play, he's pretty experienced and there are times he might break us".

Almost as important, then, is how to recover if things go wrong.

"We've learnt to deal with that and our scrambled defence has been a lot better," Gibbes added.

Umaga acknowledged the effectiveness of Waikato's strategy.

"We're trying to find ways round it. It's being cool under pressure because that's what they try and do, put you under pressure to make bad decisions," he said yesterday.

Gatland is delighted at the way his players have bought into the philosophy.

"We're starting to make pretty good decisions, and that's what it's all about ... . about assessing the situation and making the right decisions."

The ultimate proof, and test, of Gatland's system comes tonight.

Waikato: Mils Muliaina, Sosene Anesi, Richard Kahui, David Hill, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Byron Kelleher, Sione Lauaki, Marty Holah, Steven Bates (c), Keith Robinson, Jono Gibbes, Nathan White, Tom Willis, Craig West,

Reserves: Scott Linklater, Aled de Malmanche, Toby Lynn, Liam Messam, Brendon Leonard, Dwayne Sweeney, Roy Kinikinilau.

Wellington: Shannon Paku, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Tana Umaga (c), Cory Jane, Jimmy Gopperth, Piri Weepu, Rodney So'oialo, Ben Herring, Jerry Collins, Luke Andrews, Ross Filipo, Tialata/Schwalger, M. Schwalger, Joe McDonnell

Reserves: Luke Mahoney, John Schwalger/Anthony Perenise, Jeremy Thrush, Chris Masoe, Alby Mathewson, Miah Nikora, Lome Fa'atau